Back to Square One
by Placidmage
Summary: AU AkuRoku. It isn't easy coming out of a relationship when you don't know what went wrong. When Roxas decides to move into his own apartment and start anew, he's confronted with a string of coincidences with an irritating radio personality.
1. Chapter 1

AU. _Akuroku-centric. Allusions to previous Roxas/Namine and Axel/Demyx, plus transient Demyx slash. This story has no spoilers! Huzzah!_

_Disclaimer: I do not ownKingdom Hearts or anything else I mention in this chapter and all chapters which may follow it. Not that I needed to tell you, but just in case someone decides to sue me._

* * *

Wrong. 

All wrong.

This looks very wrong. Right?

Roxas looked up and down the location he was given on the piece of notebook paper he'd torn out of his history notebook. This wasn't a party at all. It was . . . a club? Roxas took another look at the directions he was given, and then up at the flickering neon sign that drew a skull and crossbones next to the outline of a woman's leg. He knew there were places like this in the city, but he'd never been to one. Besides, wasn't he underage or something?

Suddenly his stomach sank. The joke was on him.

A bitter laugh caught in his throat. As if anyone would invite him to a real party. . .

Roxas looked younger than the average college student, and wasn't very social, and so he didn't make friends easily. Even though he still had his friends from high school . . .none of them had gotten into the same college.

Roxas saw a couple more people enter the place. He had to look past the makeup on some of their faces, but he thought he recognized a few of them from his classes. Maybe they hung out with that Rikku person who gave him these directions.

Roxas wasn't sure whether it would be better or worse if she had actually been serious about this place and this 'party'.

Suddenly, the blonde was all but tackled.

"You made it!"

Roxas stumbled backwards, glaring at his attacker.

But at least it wasn't someone trying to pants the awkward looking kid outside the club, he thought. Rikku had scared him, she knew, because he looked like killing someone. She grinned wildly.

Roxas' expression demanded an explanation. He held out the paper obstinately.

"Yeah, I know! I'm surprised you came too! Hey, look, Paine, Yuna, I got the kid to come!" Rikku draped an arm over his shoulder, showing him off like a salesman to her friends.

"Huh. . . looks like the kid has some guts after all." Paine said smugly.

"He still looks sad. . ." Yuna mused.

"Yeah. You think someone died?"

"Paine! That's awful! Don't say stuff like that." Rikku scolded.

Roxas shook his head. It was nothing like that, although, he realized he had been looking miserable all day. Hearing that made him feel a little better, because it meant his . . . well, some of his college classmates were concerned about him. That must be why they'd invited him, here.

Rikku smiled, as if sensing Roxas' silent 'thank you' and bent forward to her capture to flip out a plastic card, "Don't worry, I've got an ID. It's a perfect match." She whispered.

Roxas took the plastic thing skeptically and inspected the picture. The hair was similar: blonde and uncooperative. The eyes were the same radioactive blue, which surprised Roxas, because he hadn't seen many people whose eyes could pass off as half as blue as his. The frown. . . Roxas looked at his reflection on the sheen of it. He guessed the frown was similar too. But this person actually reminded him of someone other than himself. Hey. . . wasn't this the guy in the front row of their European History class. . .? The one who's always moping around?

"Rikku, this guy on the card. . . You didn't steal it from him, did you?" Roxas asked reflexively, not stopping to think about why he'd actually need something like this.

Rikku grinned behind a smile as she grabbed his arm to take the blonde inside, "Don't worry, he won't even notice it's gone. My goal tonight is for you to have a good time, so we'd better get crackin'."

He felt himself being pushed towards the entrance and before Roxas realized it, he was being looked up and down by a tall, black, bald man with mirrored sunglasses. The ID was handed back and the man cleared his throat.

"Ahem. . . Clear." He motioned inside.

Roxas caught a wink from someone he thought was Rikku as he came under the dark atmosphere of what appeared to be a club and bar. People shuffled in around him, and Roxas shied to the side of what he figured was the bar, out of harm's way. He turned back and up at the sign above the entrance, "Treasure Island?" He said out loud.

Roxas stumbled backward to the counter, and held the edge like a lifeline. It was fairly clear Rikku expected him to have fun on his own, because she seemed to have disappeared suddenly. It's not as if Roxas thought he needed a chaperone, it just might nice to make a couple allies before he dug himself too deep.

"You gonna buy something kid?" A voice barked at him from behind.

"Uh. . ."Roxas turned around slowly and came face what seemed like a bartender. The man's hair seemed to be drawn into a long ponytail, but he couldn't tell how long, and he thought it might be the lighting, but it also looked like it had lighter streaks of gray over the top of this guy's head. Roxas might've been very afraid of the eyepatch and face scars, but remembering the theme of the club, he realized it was probably just his costume.

He let this calm him and gave a sigh of relief. He swiveled to sit down in a chair. He wished he wasn't so short.

". . . Sure." Roxas answered.

The man nodded approvingly, cleaning a glass out to pass the time.

" . . . Do you have any ginger-ale?" Roxas asked.

The would-be-pirate peered at him out of the corner of his eye, smirking something like a maniac. Roxas, however, thought it might be rude to run away before his question was answered.

"Sorry, kid,we_just_ ran out. I have something else you might be interested in, though." The bartender reached for a clean glass, "Tastes exactly the same. You won't even notice the difference."

"Wait---" Roxas saw him filling a drink, "I didn't say I wanted that. If you don't have it, I'll order something else."

A full glass slid in front of Roxas, and he glared slightly up at the man who hadn't listened to his request.

"Come on, don't be a poor sport, now. It's my _specialty_." He smiled, getting back to work, whispering loudly. "Guess he's really just as small of a man as he looks."

Roxas heard that. He glared harder at the bartender's back. Looking to his sides, he saw the others at the counter, and some of them he recognized from school. They were all laughing at the exchange. At him. Roxas straightened up. He wasn't afraid of whatever this guy could've given him. Nothing they could give him could be as bad for his health as moping around and studying all day. This was just another part of being a college student. He wasn't going to back down.

Taking the glass in hand, he didn't hesitate to raise it to his lips.

Of course, he_had_ checked to see if they were watching. As soon as the liquid started to run down his throat, he felt much warmer, and a little lighter. Roxas was so curious he didn't stop until he realized suddenly the glass must be about empty. He let it down softly onto the counter and raised a hand to steady his brow.

"Good, right?" The bartender smirked amused at the expression the glass had pulled from his young blonde customer, and took it away to make it full again, "Just like ginger ale, didn't I tell you."

Roxas nodded, hesitating to say anything as swallowed the last bit hanging in and around the corners of his mouth. Without realizing Roxas licked his lips slowly.

". . . What do you call this, again?"

The bartender looked down incredulously at his underage customer's puzzled face and laughed despite himself. "For you, kid, that'd be Xigbar's special ginger-ale." He placed another glass in front of Roxas, "Drink up."

* * *

Elsewhere inside the club, music blasted loud enough to deafen a person . . . at least, if you were standing by the speakers. Rikku had made the night much more entertaining for a few young men who were ecstatic when she jumped up on the ledge of the darkened windows in her short skirt and started singing along to one of her favorite songs with an invisible microphone. 

Axel was about to happily go up and share the spotlight when he decided he was far too sober.

He learned quickly that it was better to do things when you're under the influence than not, because it was a great excuse for getting away with just about anything, even if you'd have done it anyway.

Not that he was looking for a way out, but if there was a door, he'd take it.

Making his way through the crowd to the edge of the room, Axel noticed it was pretty empty over by Xigbar's happy little corner. Everyone must already be drunk, then, Axel grinned quietly.

"Well," Axel slid up to the counter in his black T-shirt and baggy green cargo pants, "Seems you've gone and scared all the customers away, again."

"Hmph! I'd scare YOU away if I could." Xigbar paraded indifferently to the other end of his 'post'. Axel took off immediately after him, nearly sliding on the countertop to reach his current position adjacent to the man's only customer.

"Okay, you win." Axel shrugged with a grin, "I'll buy something, then."

Xigbar hesitated and turned around to face him demanding, "With cash."

"Done." Axel spread his arms amiably, as if no other thought had ever occurred to him in the world.

"Show me."

"Such mistrust, old friend! I'm ashamed of you." Axel announced mockingly as he reached in his pockets for his wallet. He really couldn't blame the guy. Come to think of it, his tab at Treasure Island was probably as long as his list of unpaid parking tickets.

In his moment of contemplation, Axel pulled out a twenty and waved the cash in the bartender's face. "Kay? We all peachy, now? I'll have whatever's best in the house today. . ." Axel put the bill down on the table and searched around the bar, seeing all and none but the customer he nearly missed right next to him.

He tapped the guy's shoulders to get him to turn around, "Hey kid! What're you drinking?"

The blonde spun, blue eyes locking with Axel's green almost mystically. Axel's lips parted in astonishment as he wrinkled his eyebrows in surprise. He couldn't see terrifically well, it's true, but this kid was clearly young. How'd he get here? He was new, so who was he? He was actually really cute. You don't get too many cute ones at a place like this.

"Hey, Xigbar, you let this . . .?" Axel trailed off, still staring into the kids' eyes in a sort of unintelligible babble until he realized that he had just started a conversation that he needed to finish before starting another, "Hi. I'm Axel. What's your name?" he asked airily.

The kid looked at him curiously. His cheeks sported something of a rosy red that made it seem like he had too much to drink.

"Didn't you ask me what I was drinking first? My name or what I was drinking . . . which is it?" The blonde's words and voice seemed unaffected, although his every action he attempted to make dripped of the alcohol's effects.

"I hoped. . . you could remember both." Axel leaned his elbow over the counter in amusement.

Roxas glared, and Axel grinned.

"I see. Not the talkative type. But I did deserve that look, I'll give you that." Axel didn't look away, although it already seemed the kid was done speaking with _him._

"So, let me get this straight, you'll answer one question and one question only?"

There was a short nod, but Roxas decided to choose the question for him, "I'm drinking 'Xigbar's Special Ginger Ale'."

"Ginger ale, hmm?" Axel smirked at the bartender out of the corner of his eye, "You hear that? Whatever it is, I'll take it."

"Suit yourself." Their eavesdropper shrugged and reached for the liquor cabinet.

While Axel was waiting for his drink, he seemed to have stopped looking in Roxas' direction, so Roxas started looking his way. First just a slow glance, Roxas turned his eyes, trying to cover his interest with a slouch and an empty glass. Who did this guy think he was? Still. . . there was something there, behind that smirk. The thought briefly crossed Roxas' mind that Axel was surprisingly beautiful when his mouth was shut.

"Thanks." Axel said as Xigbar placed the drink in front of him. He took it up and raised the glass first to Xigbar in thanks. Then, a curious smirk crept up his cheek as he turned his eyes to Roxas, and raised the glass to him as well.

Roxas turned away as a shiver ran up his spine. He felt the red of anger coming over him. Axel had known Roxas was watching him . . . and he didn't do anything to stop it! Roxas clenched his hands on his glass. The nerve!

Axel ignored this and drank about half his portion in one go, lowered it from his face, and then widened his eyes.

"Well it's. . . not ginger ale." He raised the glass to eye level and swiveled the brown mixture, "Xigbar, what the hell IS this?"

"2 parts ginger, 4 parts ale, and 1 part . . . _special_." The bartender smirked.

It took Axel about three seconds to register what he meant.

"Shit! You can't be giving this stuff to minors. That's almost criminal!" Axel shouted.

Xigbar chuckled, "I think you're forgetting the kid got in here by himself."

"I'm not a minor!"

Axel dropped the subject immediately to turn to the kid. He looked truly shocked. "You're not?"

Roxas was more offended by Axel's expression than the original comment.

"I'm eighteen." He replied with a dead sort of anger that comes right before the last straw

"How many of these 'v you had?" Axel pointed incredulously at his half-full glass.

"Three?"

"Holy!" Axel said. Roxas looked offended again. "I mean, for someone who's as short as a twelve-year-old and doesn't look like he's drunk a day before in his life, I'm impressed at your tolerance."

Axel looked at Roxas skeptically. Last time Demyx had a '_special_' drink he was drooling all over the floor afterone glass. Axel took full responsibility, because of course it was his fault. But what was he at the time . . . like . . . twice this kid's size? He must be starting to feel _some_ effects at least.

". . ." Roxas was quiet. It had just occured to him that this Axel's voice sounded very familiar, but he was sure he'd never seen him before in his life. He was about to ask if they'd met before to fill the gap in conversation before he felt his phone vibrating.Roxas flipped it out of his pocket and looked at the name of who was calling. "Namine. . ." He frowned with a sour look and returned it to his pocket, suddenlyfeeling a sink in his stomach, like the whole world came crashing down on his shoulders. He really didn't want to talk to her right now.

"What. . . your ex-girlfriend or something?" Axel snickered between sips.

Roxas glared.

"Huh? Really? Wow." Axel turned away to see if there was anyone else around the counter to talk to. There was no one.

"She says that I don't talk to her enough." Roxas said miserably, suddenly opening up due to his depression multiplied tenfold by the alcohol. He looked at Axel, who blinked. Roxas mistook this for sympathy. ". . . It just happened today."

". . . You want advice? I think you should get over yourself." Axel sighed, and Roxas nearly smacked him a good one, but Axel saved himself, "I have a friend who's always getting dumped by people. And the truth of it is he always causes _himself_ more grief in the process than anyone else does. It's really not worth the energy to make yourself miserable."

"But our relationship was different!" Roxassaid angrily.

Axel gave him a meaningful look, "Look I don't have time for your problems, kid so----"

"She asked if I was gay!" Roxas blurted out. Okay, now he had Axel's undivided attention.

Xigbar raised an eyebrow from afar. /The kid should watch who he talks to./

Roxas inhaled and exhaled slowly, shoulders drawn close and tight in anger. He swallowed trying to find out how to break the silence he caused.

"So _are_ you?" the redhead asked.

Blue eyes widened in a reaction that would have been the same if Axel had asked him, politely, if he would please eat a scorpion.

"Well, no! I mean . . . I don't want to talk about this." Roxas placed hand on his forehead. He was tired. He couldn't remember why he was talking about this to some stranger who was driving him insane. The music was too loud. The lighting was too dim. Roxas could think of a thousand excuses to end this conversation.

He didn't like it. It pushed his buttons in all the wrong places. Mostly the buttons that made him pay attention to Axel in all the wrong aspects.

"Well, if you're going to find out, you have to talk about it sometime." Axel shrugged.

"Like you would know!"

"More than I let on. . . " Axel lifted himself off his stool, leaning forward and locking their proximity with his extended arm leaning on the countertop beside him.

"Wha. . .?" Roxas leaned back and stared first at the hand that trapped him, then up at Axel's face dumbly, unable to process cryptic sentences under his predatory gaze.

"I said I know more about this than I let on. . ." Axel, seeing no immediate reason not to, brought their lips together. He quickly rectified the situation with his second hand on Roxas' chin to keep him from running away.

Roxas opened his eyes wide, and by the time he realized what was happening, their mouths were already together. His heart sped to about twice its normal rate, and his stomach contracted so much it felt like he would burst. He opened his mouth, gasping to say something like 'HUH?', but apparently this was actually an invitation that read more like 'I want you to tongue me. NOW!' . . . which wasn't what he had in mind.

Axel happened to be enjoying himself.

The kid clearly didn't have much experience, but he wasn't resisting at all. When he let his tongue wander a little, he noticed the kid definitely responded; a little squirming, but not the running away kind. He even pushed back, and when Axel finally let go the expression he was faced with was more one of astonishment than horror.

"Well, that answers _that_ question." Axel grinned.

"You. . . you kissed me!" Roxas brought the back of his hand up to hold it across his mouth in horror, now.

"You kissed me back." Axel reminded him.

"No I didn't!"

"You should thank your girlfriend for breaking-up with you."

"I'm not gay---!"

"Maybe you're bi. . ." Axel grinned.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Excuse me," Roxas looked at Axel only once and it was a look of confusion and sadness as he put the payment for his drinks on the counter, "I'm leaving." He turned his back on the bar and started to run.

"Wait!" Axel called after him, getting up from his chair, "I hope you're not driving---- Damn it!" Roxas had already jogged out of the club, nearly bashing into the bouncer on his way out, he was so clouded.

Axel turned to Xigbar. He sighed. He hadn't even gotten to know his name. He thought kissing him would be like. . . an icebreaker or something. Oh, well.

"Seems you've gone and scared all the customers away, again." Xigbar said as apathetically as he could.

Axel snickered pushing his empty glass towards Xigbar, "Hey, now there's one less sexually-confused teenager out there. It's my good deed for the day."

"Well aren't _you_ the boy scout."

* * *

A/N: _I'm introducing Demyx in the next chapter. If there are any pairings you like with him in particular, shoot! Although I'm not deciding yet, I'll write for the majority unless you literally make me stab my eyeballs out. Demyx/Pete for instance. /stab stab/_

_I really do aim to please, and I think my stories are more a reflection of you, the reader, than anything. If you review, I'll get a sense of who you want to see and what you want to happen in this story. . . besides AkuRoku, obviously. What I'm saying is requests as well as questions are welcome. I'll try my best to make everyone happy._

_Oh, and Xigbar's SPECIAL drink? __Even I don't know what it is. : p_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer holds! I own nothing. I come into this with only the shirt on my back. Hopefully Axel and Roxas won't even have that, shortly._

* * *

The beep of Axel's alarm sent the machine to an early death. The redhead peered over the side of the bed curiously to see how hard he'd hit it this time. 

. . . He guessed he'd have to get another one.

After peeling himself off the covers, Axel slapped himself in the face a couple of times. He generally set his alarm for three in the afternoon. But if you go to bed at 7 in the morning, it really doesn't count as a good night's sleep.

Axel dragged himself to the bathroom, and after relieving himself, peered at a piece of paper he'd stuck on the bathroom mirror where his face was supposed to be.

_'RENT!'_

Axel cursed through a mouth full of toothpaste. He'd better get out of there quick before Larxene came by to collect. He scrubbed his teeth vigorously. This was a once-a-month ordeal, and even though he'd been living there for years, rent day always caught him off guard. It's not that he didn't have the money. . .

Axel thought about this for a moment. Actually it was.

All the more reason to leave as soon as possible.

Axel sped up his 'morning' rituals. Coffee, clothes, feed the fish (Cute little thing---- it ate all of its tank-mates, along with anything else they threw at it, usually . . . )

Suddenly a voice pierced through the wall, nearly choking Axel as he was eating breakfast.

"AXEL! RENT!" A voice screeched, knocking loudly enough for a person to imagine a shrill young blonde lady flinging herself at the thin wood door.

A shiver ran down his spine. If there were any words said with any voice that would ever strike fear into his heart, those were the ones. The reason? He'd dodged her last month, too.

Stuffing a piece of toast in his mouth and grabbing his wallet, Axel went back into his bedroom and opened the window to the fire escape. This route was a little risky, because Larxene had SPIES. Well, not really. But everyone knew it was rent day, so if they caught him sneaking out, they'd rat him out later when facing their landlord's wrath. Especially Zexion, that bastard, Axel thought. As a rule, no one really _likes_ the person who lives above them, but especially not if he could _smell_ you leaving your apartment. That guy had some issues. He left it at that.

Axel climbed out his window to let his legs hang over the side.

As it so happened, he never had to use his fire escape to actually escape a fire, but he _had_ used it several times to dodge the rent. . . which made him wonder why the things were there at all. The other building was about two meters away, so it created a nice little alleyway away from the other apartment building. That is, except for the dumpster at the end.

Jumping down three levels to the ground with ease on the ladders, Axel took off on a sprint out of the alley to get away before Larxene could accuse him of anything. He needed to buy groceries, anyway.

**XXX**

Roxas lagged behind his friends as they entered the convenience store. His head had been reeling since he woke up, and the bright artificial light was grating on his nerves.

Olette stepped back, putting a hand on his shoulder, "Roxas, are you okay?"

No. "Yeah, I'm fine."

". . . you don't look fine." She prodded, "Since Namine's not feeling well today and couldn't come, do you think she'd like us to come visit her? We could bring ice c---"

"No!" Roxas interrupted nervously. Olette looked hard at him. Roxas sighed, averting his eyes, "I mean, Namine's fine. I lied to you."

"I thought something was up!" Olette put her hands on her hips, "You guys have a fight?"

"Something like that---" Roxas turned his head away as Pence and Hayner ran back from where they'd gone ahead.

Pence shoved something in Roxas' face. It was a box of ice pops. He rambled on about something like a brand new flavor, which was of course very exciting if you didn't have anything else to worry about. Roxas thought that ice pops were of very little consequence when your ex-girlfriend thinks you're gay---- and you sort of do too--- but that was only because some jerk had to kiss you and ruin your LIFE!

Roxas, while thinking this, kicked the nearest shelf in a fit of anger. Several hair products and deodorant containers toppled onto his head and pooled around his feet. He blushed, bending down to pick something up.

"Geez, Roxas, what happened?" Pence asked.

"Yeah, you're such a clutz." Hayner laughed lightly, reaching to pick up one of the items.

Roxas stood up on the edge of his toes to put something back on the highest shelf and was looking around to make sure none of the storeowners had seen, when he happened to notice a spiky red head over the other side of the shelf, right in front of his face. He lost his footing, and fell backwards into the pile of grocery items.

"Roxas!" Olette knelt down with the dazed college student. "What happened? Are you okay?"

The blonde panicked, looking through her. /It's too big of a city. There's no way . . . /

He ran suddenly to the end of the aisle, motioning for his friends to stay back when they attempted to follow. Pence, Olette, and Hayner just sort of looked at each other in mutual misunderstanding. They knew their friend had been acting weird but . . .

Peering around the corner of the aisle, Roxas paled as he saw the face he dreaded and that face was . . . examining a jar of peanut butter. 'Axel', Roxas thought with contempt.

He pulled himself back against the other side of the aisle, deciding that somewhere someone must really hate him.

"Man, you sure are jumpy." Hayner approached him, followed by the rest, "What's got you so worked up?"

"He's just nervous about moving into his own apartment." Pence suggested.

"He looks like he's just seen a ghost." Olette pointed out.

"Shh." Roxas held a finger to his mouth, "I can't say here. Let's just get out, and I'll tell you later, okay?"

His friends looked around amongst themselves again. Pence put a fist into his other hand excitedly.

"Just like in the spy movies!" the chubbier of the four exclaimed.

"Are you in . . . trouble, Roxas?" Hayner turned to his friend suspiciously.

Olette intervened, "Stop it you two! Something's bothering him, and you're not being sensitive. Let's just buy the ice cream and leave, and then Roxas will tell us everything, right?" She turned to him expectantly.

There was a reluctant nod and the pack started to walk to the cash register. Roxas turned to his feet, trying to blend in, and praying to whatever god who hated him to let him please get out of this alive.

But as fate would have it, and for lack of looking where he was going, there was a collision.

Roxas barely had time to register what had happened through the string of curses when he was pummeled over the head with a jar of . . . he looked to his side. It was peanut butter. Oh, look. The chunky kind. Roxas turned red as a beet.

"----all idiots! This is why I hate shopping. Hey, you should watch where you're going--" Axel looked down angrily in front of him, and then paused, "Hey it's you!"

Roxas was now gathering up Axel's items with him, trying to ignore him.

"Isn't it you. . .?" Axel asked, shaking potato chips in Roxas' face. The blonde used this opportunity to pile the redhead's things into his arms. Axel didn't seem to notice, or else he didn't care.

There was a moment where Axel just stood, watching Roxas and waiting for an answer. It was becoming clear he wasn't going to get one.

"Hey, stop that!" Axel's arms were piled high with items.

Roxas stopped, getting up off the floor, and made a move to walk past the taller man. Axel moved in front of him. Roxas moved the other way, and Axel followed.

Finally, exasperated, Roxas threw down the towel. "What do you _want_ from me!" He stamped his foot.

"Hey! We just met. That's hardly a greeting." Axel looked amused, "Thanks for being so clumsy. I might not've seen you. . . down there."

Roxas wasn't amused.

"I need to go." The short boy announced, noticing that Pence, Olette and Hayner were done buying and had wandered slightly backward to watch the conversation.

"hm?" Axel looked to his side where the blonde was looking, and noticed the three teenagers. Through the armful of groceries, Axel raised an eyebrow at Olette, nudging an elbow towards the girl, "She the one who dumped you?"

Roxas hated his life.

Pence, Olette and Hayner all looked absolutely shocked. Axel surveyed the situation, pleased with himself for bringing it up. From the looks of it, the guy couldn't lie with a straight face.

Olette turned slowly to her friend as if all her trust had been betrayed, "Namine _dumped _you?"

The college student was tongue-tied.

"It gets better!" Axel grinned over a box of wheat thins as he set his groceries down on the counter, "She dumped him because he's gay!"

Hayner made a face like he just swallowed a bug.

"I-I don't know him!" Roxas snapped, pointing at Axel accusingly. That had crossed the line. "He doesn't even know my name!"

"True enough, I don't know your name." Axel shrugged it off. Pence, Olette and Hayner looked on expectantly, ". . . but _you_ know _me_."

Roxas averted his eyes and Axel took the opportunity to move closer. He bent over and got right up in his face, smirking.

"Okay, since you won't talk to me, I'm going to give you the gay test." Axel said, "100 percent accurate. Guaranteed."

"What?" Roxas backed off a little, his face turning red. He couldn't see anything with Axel's face so close. And yet, he couldn't do anything about it. Axel's face dared him. It mocked him ever so slightly, saying that he couldn't object to this because if he was certain he was straight, he would come through clean. He couldn't back out in front of his friends. Clearly Axel was waiting for an answer, "Okay. But if I take this test of yours, you have to stop bothering me."

"Done." Axel moved in closer, placing his hands on the counter to trap Roxas just as he'd done the night before. Roxas cowered under his gaze,

"Uh," Roxas slid down, glancing at his friends nervously, his arms glued to his sides, "Is this okay in a public place?"

Axel smirked. "It's only fair to tell you: this is part of the test. Your reactions while in this position will make it so that I'm not the only judge."

The smaller teen swallowed, looking over towards his friends. He licked his lips because all of a sudden his mouth was growing dry. Maybe there was something to this test after all. It was hard for him to think in this position. He felt lightheaded. . . like he was between a rock and a---hard place. Roxas blushed.

Axel grinned wryly. Blushing so soon? "Okay. First question. Boxers or briefs. Which are you wearing right _now_?"

Roxas laughed nervously as if he was stalling.

"That's ridiculous . . . I don't remember. . ."

Axel made a quick glance down, grinning "We could check---"

"What! No!" Roxas objected strongly, feeling his cheeks turn a brighter hue, "I mean, you don't have to. I'm wearing briefs."

"Are you suuure?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm sure! I'm wearing briefs! Happy?" Roxas glared. Why did he get so worked-up over this guy? He couldn't remember the last time he was so angry. It wasn't even about protecting his pride or his sexuality anymore. It was just raw anger. So, why? He felt like he was on fire.

"Okay. Second question: Have you ever kissed a guy? Oh, wait. . . " Axel turned his eyes upward as if he were remembering.

"That's not a fair question!" Roxas stiffened.

"Oh, it's not, is it?" Axel turned back sharply and gave his prey a dangerous look. He turned to the on-lookers, "Hey judges. What d'you say?"

Hayner looked at Olette and Pence, and turned back to nod at Axel, "So, what you're saying is you kissed Roxas?"

Axel leered, "Roxas, huh? That's your name." It was if a fire had been set in Axel's eyes. Roxas' pupils widened, "Yeah. We kissed."

"Hayner! Pence! Olette!" Roxas pleaded, shrinking under Axel's stare.

"Hey, weirdo!" Hayner threw his arm out exasperatedly, clenching his fist, "we judges think this is getting out of hand."

Axel closed his eyes and sighed. He took his trap off the smaller teen, standing up straight and shrugging. "Okay. Majority rules. But I should tell you; it's the only way to know, and I'm only trying to help your friend. I won't ask the last question if Roxas doesn't want me to."

The smaller teen loosened, "It's alright. We had a deal. Once this test is over, you have to leave me alone."

Axel nodded, turning to cross his arms, "The third question is: did you like it?"

"What?" Roxas asked in confusion.

"Did you like kissing me? Truthfully." He said straightly--- or as straight as he could manage, seeing as he wasn't and all. Still, something hurt about asking the question right out like that with no tricks or devices. It made him feel exposed. He frowned, almost angrily.

"I don't know, it happened fast----" Roxas tried not to look at anyone; it might make it harder. He needed to answer this truthfully. It would be easy to say he didn't like it at all, but he didn't know if that was true. What if the situation came back? What if he ended up kissing another guy? Maybe Axel was right. At the time, kissing Axel had been something he hadn't thought about enjoying. Are you supposed to have to think to enjoy something? Is thinking part of feeling?

Roxas thought back to when Namine had told him they couldn't be together. She'd kissed him many times, but this time her kiss was desperate. She asked him the same question Axel was asking him now. 'Did you enjoy kissing me?'

Namine. . .

Her eyes were so honest that it was impossible to lie.

Roxas' heart tightened. He'd thought he loved her.

If his heart lied to him, why couldn't he lie to others?

"Roxas?" Axel turned to him in annoyance, having just finished buying his groceries while he was thinking.

He didn't want to lie.

"I think I liked it." Roxas decided.

"Pardon?" Axel was taken off guard.

Hayner ran up to his best friend, shaking his shoulders, "Roxas what're you saying?"

"I only answered his question," Roxas mumbled, breaking away from Hayner's grasp and starting to walk away, "I liked it when he kissed me. Now he has to leave me alone like we promised."

Pence looked at Roxas with sympathy, handing him a popsicle. The blond lifted his head, smiling slightly, and took the stick gratefully. Olette placed a hand around Roxas' shoulder.

Hayner shied away from the scene and looked at Axel as if to ask him if he had passed. He needed a final verdict, but it didn't look like he was going to get one. Roxas had a sorry look on his face; like a kicked puppy. It was beginning to look pretty grim.

Olette smiled, hugging her friend, "If you are gay, it's okay, you know. You don't have to go through everything alone. That's what friends are for . . ." Olette reminded him as she walked towards the door.

Axel almost gagged, but he stopped himself because he really was happy the kid---- Roxas---- he was glad Roxas had come to terms with his issues. . . he never did like leaving unfinished business. He picked his groceries off the counter top.

"See that!" Axel directed his comment towards the cashier as he picked his groceries off the counter top, "100 percent accurate. Try it sometime."

"As if. Lamer." The cashier snarled from behind the counter before turning back to memorizing his paper of produce codes for the register. _'Bananas- 2871, __Lettuce- 1030 . . .'_

"Hmm. . ." Axel just sighed, looking at the boy's bellybutton shirt. He shook his head. On second thought . . . no one really needs a test to figure this guy out.

Axel left the store accomplished. Now it was just a matter of timing his return just right so he wouldn't have to face Larxene. But he'd wasted enough time in the convenience store, probably. He glanced at his watch, switching his groceries to the opposite hand temporarily. 5:00. Perfect.

The only thing that left him feeling sour was the feeling that he wished he'd gotten the kid's number or something. But then again, he was never really in a position to ask. Looking ahead, Axel thought he saw Roxas about a block away in the direction he was heading. Seems he'd split up from his friends. Axel sped up his pace. He was never one to throw away an invitation from fate.

He caught up with his fast strides. It pays to be tall.

"Roxas!"

The blonde spun around, sucking on his popsicle. He suddenly looked horrified, taking the thing from his mouth. "Axel? What are you doing? We had a deal."

Axel exhaled bitterly, "Sorry. I didn't know my walking home was in breach of our contract."

"I'm walking home too . . ." Roxas said, almost as if to himself, as he started to walk again.

"It's a small world after all. So we're allowed to walk on the same sidewalk I take it." Axel said sarcastically, starting to walk alongside him.

"Fine. But you're not standing next to me." Roxas decided, speeding up. "I want to see you a good few feet back."

"Alright."

Axel did as he was told and took a step behind. Now it looked like they were walking single file. Several blocks passed in complete silence, to Roxas' confusion. For this guy to be so quiet, and so quick to agree--- something definitely was wrong.This wariness caused him of course to look backwards a good deal more than was necessary. To his disappointment, every time he checked, Axel hadn't shaken from his path.

"Roxas."

"What?" the blonde snapped nervously.

"Nice ass."

"That's it! You're standing next to me." Roxas turned backwards angrily, his hair standing upwards more than usual.

"I dunno. I kinda like it back here. I think I'll stay."

Axel's smirk widened in surprise as his arm was suddenly grabbed from the side and Roxas pulled himself until they were walking beside each other, and let go. He was red, once again. But there wasn't much to be done about that at this point.

"Can't leave you alone for a second, can I?" Roxas looked flustered, continuing forwards.

The popsicle was almost gone, Axel noticed as they walked, and every time Roxas licked it, he saw a flash of blue on his tongue.

"Stop looking at me like that." Roxas said after awhile.

"Only if you stop licking like that." Axel countered.

"Like what?" Roxas licked.

"_Jesus_." Axel rubbed his head, and then turned expressively, almost angrily, to the blonde, "You really don't understand what you're doing, do you?"

Roxas glared.

"You see, like that. The ice cream, and the glare together," Axel snatched the popsicle away, "You're not allowed to do that anymore."

"Hey! I promise I'll suck it, not lick it just----"

Axel paled.

"Okay. Whatever. Take it." Axel thrust the ice cream in the blonde's face, deciding that if he ended up molesting the kid, he'd given him plenty of fair warning. Either way, he needed to scrub his brain several times over before it would be in working order again.

Either way, they didn't have much time left. It seemed that he was nearing home. The part that was ironic was they still hadn't parted ways. He was debating right now that if he made it home first, whether or not he should ask for Roxas' address, since it seemed they might live close to each other. Roxas threw away his popsicle stick in a nearby trash can.

Just one more block.

They kept walking. Suddenly Roxas spoke up, as they were nearing Axel's apartment building.

"Well, I guess this is where we part."

"How'd you know?" Axel asked, surprised.

"What? My apartment's right here. Don't tell me---"

Axel's eyes lit up manically, "You just moved in?"

Roxas' world came tumbling down. It couldn't be. Not after all the trouble he'd gone through to choose an apartment closer to college. Not after he'd gone out of his way to distance himself from Namine so there would be less tension. This--- this THING couldn't live in his building. He'd never thought that something this dreadful could happen to him. He gazed on the stoop desperately.

"You don't live here. . . do you?" Roxas asked, in pure denial. His last hope hung by a thread.

"You're right, I don't." Axel threw a wry grin, "I live in the apartment building next door. Looks like we're neighbors."

* * *

_A/N: Thanks to all those who reviewed for the warm welcome to this section! I know more of you are reading than are reviewing by my stats, so I guess I have to continue. I can forgive that, because I'm guilty of it too. /pokes you all/_

_There was way more to write than I expected in this chapter. I have Demyx's section, but this bit ended on a better note, so I'm putting it in the next one. Reviews help me write faster! Even though I'm new in this section, I usually delete stories with this little reviews . . . I'm hoping for a better turnout this time._


	3. Chapter 3

_This story is about cheap laughs at characters I don't own. If I ever meet the creators, I shall bake them cookies. I also don't own any references to . . . anything mentioned. I own nothing._

* * *

Axel swung the door shut and descended into his space on the couch, defeated. The kid didn't even want a welcome party. Maybe it was something he said? He took a quick glance at his watch again, throwing his head back. There were only a few hours before he had to go into work, and he already felt his energy dissipating. 

He turned rigid in response to the knocking on his door.

Who could possibly have such bad timing? He sunk further into the couch, closing his eyes. He'd just sat down. Unless Roxas had a change of heart and came to pay him a surprise visit, Axel decided he wasn't going to bother getting it.

This knocking caught his eye because it was cumbersome; almost as if the person was battling with the door and losing . . . There was a miserable sigh as a middle-sized-figure slumped down to the floor.

Oh, no. Not him, Axel thought. Not now. He couldn't handle the drama. There was a faint humming that sounded like the tune to 'Heartbreak Hotel'.

"Demyx, go away." Axel raised his voice, helping the sound carry from the couch to the door. He waited for a reply.

"_You make me so lonely baby . . . I get so lonely, I get so lonely I could die . . ._" The man behind the door responded in song.

"You're really a piece of work." Axel made an effort to lift himself off the couch and talk into the closed door, "If I let you in, are you going to pay your half of the rent?"

Demyx stopped singing, suddenly changing moods. " . . . MY half?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah, you leech. How long has this been going on . . . three years? You think I'm just going to let you waltz back in every time you get dumped?"

"Hey! I didn't get dumped. We BROKE. UP." Demyx exaggerated with his hands, even though there was no one to see them. He sunk into a bout of self-pity. "But--- yeah. Yeah, I know. It's always my fault." there was something akin to a sob.

Axel was tired of the crocodile tears. He opened the door sharply, and Demyx tripped over himself trying to get his balance back from leaning against it. He snapped back, straight as a tulip tree.

Clearly a musician, the dirty blonde's guitar was slanted against the opposite wall next to a worn rectangle box suitcase. The edges looked as if they'd been chewed off and it was mended by duct tape in several areas. Demyx's clothes weren't in any better shape. He smiled pitifully at Axel's sigh.

"Look. I'll let you stay for as long as you want. You just have to pull your weight."

With a halfhearted nod, Demyx's silence seemed to indicate he understood. Axel was right, after all.

The two of them went far back. Once lovers; Now . . . well, their present relationship was different depending on whom you asked. To make a long story short, even though they were crazy about each other, as a couple, they drove each other insane. The two of them had a mutual resolution that they would simply be good friends to prevent themselves from ripping each other's heads off. Since then, Demyx seemed to have gone and screwed through enough men to make an army, 'as is the fate of the rising star' he would say, casually.

Rebound after rebound.

Axel was sure he'd be gone by tomorrow and back within the week. As long as his friend paid part of the rent, it was fine with him. They say people will keep making the same mistakes until they learn from them. Demyx was a very serious case of the engine that couldn't.

Axel, on the other hand, simply 'wouldn't'. Since then, despite putting on flirtatious airs, he hadn't been so quick to bring himself to commit to a relationship again. In all truth, he was jealous of how fast the musician was able to heal.

"So . . . come on in. You can get dinner ready or something." Axel suggested, turning his attention around.

Suddenly he was caught from behind by a quick squeeze around his waist. "Thanks." The hug was gone as soon as it came.

Axel turned back in surprise, watching the musician as he took up his things and walked in to put them in the usual place. The gesture seemed more like a goodbye than a hello; but it was impossible to read Demyx sometimes. He wanted to say something, but it seemed like the moment was stolen away.

"Do you have vegetable oil? Or meat?" Demyx tore around the kitchenette, the sound of opening cupboards clashing with Axel's inner monologue.

"I have sliced turkey," Axel offered, adding, "I wasn't expecting company."

The musician sighed to himself, "You should always expect company," he advised, his limited assets spreading over the countertop.

"Well, meat doesn't cook itself." Axel snorted, "And my company could CALL first."

This comment invoked little or no response as Demyx made quick work of utilizing the materials he found.

"You need to go shopping." Demyx extended a peanut butter sandwich to his host, and then started making one for himself.

"Actually, I just did." Axel said, grabbing the potato chip bag and popping it open. He caught the underlying meaning. If Demyx wanted to eat fancy, he was going to have to do that part on his own . . .like always.

Axel leaned his arm against the kitchenette counter and threw a potato chip into the fish tank. It floated, and the lone fish swam up to nibble at it. Axel watched as it took a huge chunk out of the thing that was as big as he was.

"Still feeding the fish weird things?" Demyx hopped up on the counter and took a bite out of his sandwich, looking at the fish as though they had a score to settle.

The redhead laughed.

"You should know better than me; The Fishinator eats everything." Axel reminded him, tapping on the glass affectionately. He actually didn't even like fish. But this guy was kind of cool because it ate all of Demyx's other fish. Axel had adopted it when Demyx disowned it.

Of course Demyx had tried to exact his revenge; unplugging the filter, poisoning the tank with various alcoholic beverages, boiling the tank on the stove . . . but the thing was indestructible. It was then Axel threw away Demyx's initial name for it, Spawn of Satan, and started calling it The Fishinator.

They continued eating, and Demyx brought his ankle up on top of his thigh to pick at the torn edges of his jeans.

Axel asked about the band, because he'd noticed DHMO's (1) album was selling, and a few people called in occasionally to request his songs. Even as they grew apart, they could always connect on the level of music. Demyx talked about the album, but shied away from the questions about his band and asked about Axel's radio show.

They talked a long time.

Because it was Axel, he couldn't help noticing that something was different about Demyx. He'd gotten that sort of feeling since he walked in the door. There was a fleeting sense Axel had about it actually being something that changed about himself that Demyx was reacting to, but he couldn't get a good hold on that theory. If it were something important, Demyx would bring it up, anyway. He was good about mentioning important things, and then refusing to talk about them.

"Well," Axel excused himself from dinner, "In case you decide to go to sleep before I get back, the couch is all yours."

"Where are you going?" The dirty blonde questioned through a sticky mouthful. Demyx was on his fourth sandwich. At least his appetite was one thing that hadn't changed.

". . . work. I'm going to change," is all Axel said as he strode towards his room, rubbing the back of his neck.

The first thing about Axel in relation to his room was, unlike Demyx, Axel wasn't your stereotypical bachelor slob. He was born and raised in an upright city family where his single mother had him make the bed every morning and vacuum the apartment once a week. His inbred cleanliness and stinginess would have made his room boring save for the rock music posters that lined the walls and ceiling. The only part of wall that wasn't covered was his window, which Axel didn't like to close unless it was cold. He was very sensitive to the cold.

And the radio studio always had the air conditioning on, which meant cargos this thin probably wouldn't do the trick. He unzipped his fly.

----xxx-----

"Yeah. I thought a lot about what you said, Namine . . ." Roxas held the receiver in one hand and the part that was supposed to go on the wall in the other.

"Well I don't know; that's the thing. But I do know I still care about you." He maneuvered the phone cord clumsily around the unopened boxes that littered the floor of his white-walled apartment, finally sitting down on his bed, which stuck out from the rest of the apartment, because it was the only thing that looked complete. ". . .you mean Axel?"

Roxas made a look of disgust, "No! I don't want him around." He suddenly let his head fall back and hit the wall behind his bed. ". . .Well, if he's trying to help, he's terrible at it. Whose side are you on, anyway?"

He let his eyes wander around the room as he tried to listen and take her feelings into consideration. It was hard when she seemed to be defending a person she didn't even know.

Suddenly Roxas stopped listening entirely as his eyes fell outside his window, to the apartment across the way.

"Namine, hold on. . ." The blond covered the bottom of the receiver with his hand as he walked closer, his mouth agape.

The last person he wanted to see was two meters away from him, and looked like he was wandering around in his boxers.

Roxas unclenched his sweaty hand from the phone and held it close to his head in a guttural whisper that teetered on the edge of insanity.

"Sorry, I'll call you back later."

----xxx----

Axel couldn't find his pants.

Even after pacing several times, in the end, he had to pick his second choice pair out of the laundry pile. He smelled it curiously---not exactly sweet as a rose. Axel walked back to the window. Maybe he'd put on the ones he had before.

There was a gust of wind and he shivered, turning to the window.

He gripped the sides of it to close it, but then looked out.

Through the cage of the fire escape he saw a face through the window on the other building bright red in anger, looking at him with such hatred it radiated in _waves._ That spiky blonde head. . . the apartment building next door. . . and if looks could kill. . .

"Roxas? No fucking way---" Axel stuck his head out the window to get a better look at the phenomenon.

"Axel you---" Roxas started, voice raised.

"You don't have to yell. I can hear you just fine. Wow. Never noticed how close these buildings were before." Axel snickered, fully aware of their situation . . . and loving it. The last guy who lived across from him had unflatteringly hairy armpits that usually provided a harbor for good healthy chunks of speed stick stuck under there when he raised his arms in the morning. Not to mention the hairy ass crack. Axel grimaced thinking about it.

But with Roxas living there, not only was he going to hopefully get some ice candy . . .he meant eye candy. Or ice cream. Or both. Or Roxas eating ice cream. That would be good too. Either way, the summer had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.

"Why are you here!" Roxas raised his voice louder to spite him.

"Me?" Axel asked rhetorically, "What about YOU? I've lived here for four years; since I was your age. Specifically, why am I here right now? Apparently to give you a strip tease. How long have you been watching?"

Roxas' eyes widened and without thinking wandered down to Axel's lack of pants. He wondered if the redhead always undressed with the window open . . . NOT for THAT reason. It was indecent, and he hoped he would never have to see something like that again. Well, not intentionally again--- gah! Roxas closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I haven't, I mean. . . I wouldn't! You're awful!"

"_I'm_ awful. Who's the one looking a gift horse in the mouth? I don't mind if you peek a little. . ." Axel stuck out his tongue mischievously and let a hand wander down to the edge of his shirt.

He tugged at the edge near his waist as his other hand snaked up his chest, exposing an excruciatingly small portion of skin. Axel, enjoying the horrified look on Roxas' face, turned to the side seductively, taking the top of his t-shirt between his teeth. He started pulling off his shirt veerrry slowly.

"Axeeel?" A voice teased from behind.

Axel turned around innocently, his T-shirt hanging out of his mouth like a dog caught in the act of chewing something he wasn't supposed to.

Demyx laughed, crossing his arms. "You playing with the webcam again?"

The redhead spat out his T-shirt, taking it off normally, "Oh, please. That was such a long time ago. . ." He picked up a clean shirt and slipped it on. He also put on the pants he was wearing before.

Roxas hadn't heard the full conversation, but he had heard there was someone there even though brain wasn't functioning on some of its higher levels. . . something about Axel's bare chest. He blinked, regaining some sense of self.

"Who was that?" he asked quickly, trying to mask his discomfort.

"Huh?" Axel turned back to the window.

"That person . . .?"

"What, jealous?" Axel teased.

"What? No! He's your boyfriend then?" Roxas steadied himself with a twisted smile that was anxious to exact revenge. ". . . Does he know you cheat on him?"

"Oh, yes. I cheat on my boyfriends all the time," Axel spun the yarn as long as Roxas would sew it, "At least I don't hide my sexuality from my _girlfriend_." The redhead left from sight of the window, as he was done changing.

"Axel!" Roxas yelled after him angrily.

"Sorry," Axel popped his head back, "Forgot you weren't gay."

He wandered back away from view. Demyx smiled, still crossing his arms in the doorway.

"So who's this person you're cheating on me with? I think I have a right to know." The dirty blonde joked smugly. Axel turned and in passing, threw his dirty shirt in the musician's face.

"You. . . just. . . shut up."

Demyx sighed and watched him leave the apartment. It was a mystery to him why his friend didn't just . . . let himself be happy.

Axel took the subway to the radio studio every weeknight. He had his own office. Very fancy-like. They asked him what he wanted on his manager door plaque when he was promoted and offered the job. His new door now flashed a triumphant "Mr. Axel" immortalized in brass. The room was littered with records and file papers, posters and T.V. dinner wrappers. A signed DHMO poster of Demyx lying with revealing clothes in a rather enticing pose hung on the wall. When they were together, he and Axel joked the band had taken that picture from their collection of sex photographs. Uh. . . not that there were very many of those, of course. And he'd long since burned them. One of the things he'd enjoyed burning the least in his life.

The actual room where they broadcasted from wasn't much larger, but they had room for what they needed.

Axel was early. His show started at eleven. He stood in the waiting room and looked through the glass at the only other person in their section of the building----a fairly new addition to the radio team doing her routine. Axel had hired her, actually. She was in the middle of some sort of Jazz mixed program. She looked nervous so Axel played some charades with her through the glass during song time to loosen her up a bit.

Coming out of the program, Axel patted the new member on the back. He walked in quickly and took up the headphones, sitting down next to the mike like an old friend.

-----xxxx-----

It was 11:13 when Roxas looked at the clock. He'd lost track of time while doing his homework. Extending an arm to the far end of his desk, he switched his stereo to the radio. The familiar deep, animated voice came over his speakers.

"----was a little something to heat us up. You all know it and love it. That was The Doors with 'Light My Fire'. Look outside folks. If you're in the city area, seems like it's going to be raining here, so if you're going on a late night escapade, wear a poncho. Possibly a sweater. Otherwise, stay with us. I'll be keeping it hot all night. This is Alex Flame, and you're listening to James Taylor."

Roxas knew what the station was playing before the song even came on. Alex Flame's regular listeners didn't need him to tell them the name. He always played 'Fire and Rain' to welcome these kinds of nights. Sometimes he even made them listen to the rain for a couple of minutes, which was actually kind of soothing. Roxas put down his pencil and looked to the window where the rain was growing steadily stronger.

Namine. . .

Was he really so cold? All his life, he'd been accused of his lack of passion for things. His heart was never in anything. And when it came to relationships, well . . . he guessed it would be the same thing.

And it was, until Axel showed up.

In relationships, he realized now, you were supposed to feel something . . . even if you weren't passionate about anything else. He knew that when he'd kissed Axel. It seemed impossible that this one guy, by being the most infuriating person Roxas ever met, was able to make him more emotional than he'd ever been.

Roxas listened to the radio late into the night. It was two in the morning when the college student fell asleep studying in his chair, his head on his math textbook. It was alright because he'd fallen asleep on that page already and the drool marks would camouflage themselves. And it wasn't a restless sleep because of the soothing voice that talked to him into the morning.

----xxxx-----

Axel opened his eyes in a murderous daze. He was strangling a pillow. In his dream it had been a giant lobster, but he didn't remember that bit.

The only thing that penetrated his skull was the piercing voice of someone singing. Singing LOUDLY . . . in his apartment. He didn't care who the hell they thought they were, no one could get away with waking him up at (Axel glanced at the clock) ten am! Okay, that's it. There was hell to pay . . . in fire and brimstone and anything else Axel believed he could summon while he was still in the world of the undead.

Axel rose from his grave, hair standing on all ends like a deranged porcupine. Singing, singing---- Freddy Mercury? Bastard Freddy Mercury in his apartment. Probably tried to feel him up in his sleep, serenading him with scaramouches and moustaches. Axel wondered briefly in his stupor whether a scaramouche was actually a type of moustache and whether or not he could shove one down the throat of whoever was singing.

As Axel neared the source of the racket, he realized that Freddy Mercury was in his shower.

'. . .Ready Freddy?' Axel thought murderously, bursting open his bathroom door. Immediately he grabbed his heavy-duty, bristles-that-kill hairbrush from the counter and raised it up.

"Stop! Singing! I will make you EAT that moustache so help me----" The singing stopped and Axel lowered his weapon. He raised his eyebrows blankly over half-lidded eyes, "----Demyx?"

"Axel?" Demyx pulled aside a corner of the cloudy-clear shower curtain brightly. His face lit up between the now brown hairs sticking to the edges of his face, "Hey! Come to join me?"

"NO! You woke me UP!" Axel scowled, scratching his hair with his free hand, "No more singing!"

"But the water's fine. It'll make you feel better." Demyx added, smiling.

"You see this?" Axel pointed to his face with the hairbrush dramatically, "This is the face of someone who has had three hours of sleep thanks to you."

"Then go back to sleep." The musician suggested.

"I think I WILL." Axel turned around and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. He let the hairbrush slip lazily onto the floor as he reached his bed, and crawled back in. Axel sighed in relief as he lay down and pulled up the covers contentedly.

There was a loud rapping on front door. "Axel! RENT!"

A spiky red pulled itself under the sheets, plugging its ears with the corners of his quilt. It was just a bad nightmare, that's all. It would go away.

"I hear your water running, Axel! I know you're here! I will EVICT you, if you don't come to the door right NOW."

Axel sat up, letting the sheets fall around him, and glaring like death. This was all Demyx's fault. He got out of bed, and headed for the bathroom, stepping on his hairbrush on the way and cursing under his breath.

He limped to the bathroom door, peeking in and steadying his voice, "Demyx I need your half of the money . . ."

" _. . . it's a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash."_ (2) Demyx completed Axel's sentence in song, "What do you need it now, for?"

"There's a madwoman at the door." Axel said, tired as all hell.

"Check in my guitar case. The third folder in on the front pocket."

"Thanks." Axel shut the door. He grabbed the envelope with the check he'd received from work . . . three hours ago.

There was some more knocking.

"Hold your panties! I'm coming!" Axel yelled the jumbled colloquialism as he fished Demyx's share from his guitar case.

The redhead opened the door sluggishly, thinking about his warm and comfy bed. The one he wasn't sleeping in.

"Well, look who decided to show up." Larxene squinted reproachfully at the mess in front of her. She snatched the only thing in front of her that she didn't disapprove of. Flipping through Demyx's cash, she reached Axel's check. It was endorsed to her. And it even covered both months.

Larxene sighed, disappointed there was nothing to criticize, "Well it seems you've managed to survive another month. Somehow." She turned to leave.

"Yeah. Uh . . . Toodles." Axel blanked, shut the door and slinked back to bed.

* * *

_(1) I heard this in a joke once. DHMO stands for Dihydrogen Monoxide, which stands for 2 Hydrogens and 1 Oxygen, which stands for H2O._

_(2) Pink Floyd: "Money"_

_A/N: You guys are awesooome! I hope this chapter didn't suck too much. My brain has been fried by the World Cup. Woot! Soccer! Go watch. But first!_

_Review?_

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	4. Chapter 4

_I apologize for the delay! Transition chapters are a bit harder to write than the rest, aren't they? Also, as the disclaimer, I don't own anything, but I think that goes without saying._

* * *

Roxas sat gloomily on the stoop with Olette and Pence at his sides. Hayner sat on the wide rail, half standing on the step below them. They all moped under the heat of the sun. It was almost summer, but no one wanted to study for finals. Not without ice cream. They would always get ice cream after school. Even in college, the tradition continued. The problem with that was. . . 

". . . So why do you think the ice cream truck hasn't been coming these past few days?" Olette asked, breaking the silence, only to be shot with blank stares.

"I don't know, but we should go to the convenience store again." Hayner said, starting to get up. He gave a meaningful look to Roxas, wondering if he minded.

Roxas shrugged. It didn't really matter now. He couldn't get away from Axel, anyway, so why try?

"The grocery store ice cream is expensive." Pence noted. They all nodded. "You think the ice cream man is sick?"

"That's silly. They would just send another one." Olette said, yawning. The sun made her tired.

Hayner looked at her, "Actually, I think it's a one-man gig. Well. . . I mean, it's not a Mr. Softie truck. I think he runs it himself."

"Poor guy . . . that must be why he always looks so miserable." They all nodded. . . except for Roxas.

"Miserable, huh . . . I don't really remember." Roxas examined a crack in the steps.

"I don't understand how anyone so handsome could be so unhappy." Olette decided.

Hayner laughed, "I know _I'd _be miserable if _I_ had to wear that dorky hat."

Roxas wrinkled his eyebrows, trying to remember, "Does he have blond hair?"

Pence nodded, "Yeah. Actually, he kind of looks like _you_, Roxas."

The gears were turning. Roxas widened his eyes, shooting himself straight up where he sat.

"That guy's in my history class!" Roxas fumbled in his pocket for the piece of plastic, "I've been trying to give this ID back to him, but he always comes in late and leaves before I have the chance."

Hayner peered over Roxas's shoulder to see the card.

"Cloud Strife, huh? That's him, alright." He verified. "Hey, but aren't you supposed to give it to the police if you find someone's driver's license?"

Roxas looked up, ". . . driver's license?"

"Hell yeah, Roxas. Haven't you ever seen one before?" Hayner was taken aback.

"Well, no. Not really. And it looked a lot like our school ID . . . I thought since he was an upperclassman . . ."

Pence looked up, "You have our ice cream man's driver's license! How's he supposed to drive the ice cream truck?"

Roxas felt as if a billboard with those words on it had been hurdled at his back and cracked over his head. If the ice cream man had come the other day, they wouldn't have gone to the grocery store. If they hadn't gone to the grocery store, he wouldn't have seen Axel. And because he had Cloud's license, it was ALL HIS FAULT. He brought his hands to his head.

"Don't feel bad, Roxas. You could call him or something. . . and hey, it even has his address. Isn't that nifty?" Olette consoled.

"Yeah, just make sure he doesn't think you're hitting on him, because he looks like he swings your way," Olette stomped on Hayner's foot. There was a cry of pain.

Roxas peeled his hands off his face. Maybe this is what they mean when they say 'what goes around comes around'? . . . He could sure use one of those ice creams right about now.

---xxxx----

"Mike check. . ." Demyx tapped on the microphone, but it still wasn't working. ". . . You want me to keep talking!" He yelled back to the sound crew, adjusting his guitar slung around his shoulders so that it leaned out of his way. His band members were in the background talking, since they couldn't practice while they were setting up the mikes. So instead, they were drinking coffee. That's what they ran on, pretty much; like gasoline to a car.

Demyx had already had his. However, unless it was Demyx's turn to buy, no one ever brought him anything caffienated. Lucky for them, he hadn't noticed yet.

"Yeah! Keep talking! Just say anything! Tell me about your day!" A distant voice shouted from the back of the concert hall in the sound booth.

"Well okay. Let's see. I woke up this morning when I fell off the couch. Actually, it probably wasn't the falling part that woke me up, because I wasn't very close to the couch at all. I must've been---oh!" Demyx was surprised as his voice boomed from the speakers. He waved to the man in the back, "It's working!"

Suddenly Demyx felt a light tap from behind. A deep voice spoke, "Don't look now, but here he comes."

Demyx turned to look at the opening door and then briefly nodded thanks to his band-mate before scurrying backstage. As soon as he was behind the black velvet curtain, Demyx peeked out to watch the scene.

Luxord strode up over by the drum set on stage with a hand in his pocket. The bearded manager spoke to a couple people hanging around and as a finger was pointed towards Demyx's curtain, the dirty blonde ducked behind in the delusion that his hiding there went unnoticed. He peered back out, and Luxord had turned away. With a look of disappointment, the manager prepared to leave. And then he did.

Demyx let his breath out, hand over his heart.

Marluxia approached their lead singer as he left his curtain.

"You can't keep avoiding him forever. He is our manager, you know." The deep voice advised. A head of spiky hair looked down on Demyx condescendingly.

"I know, I know!" Demyx assured him, hands expressive, "Did he ask about me? Did he see me? Please say no . . ."

". . . no." Marluxia said without hesitation, starting to drift gracefully away.

Demyx caught him by the shoulder, "Come on, I didn't mean it like that. Did he really not ask about me . . .? I mean you wouldn't lie to a friend." He smiled winningly, "We're friends, right?"

The drummer considered this.

" . . . no. I don't think so."

Demyx slumped in defeat as his band-mate walked away to join the others. He wondered where he went wrong with that guy. He got along fine with everyone else. . . and for Marluxia of all people to know about him and Luxord. . . Demyx scratched his finely styled head. There was some trouble brewing, there.

Someone in the sound crew saw Demyx slipping away.

"Hey! Where're you going?" The nameless black shirt asked.

"Uh. . ." Demyx turned around, jogging nervously in place. He waved, "Bathroom! I'll be back in a sec!"

Demyx skittered off towards what seemed to be the way to the bathroom, but stayed in the hall. He flipped out his cell phone and dialed the only (speed-dial) number that could possibly make him feel better right now.

It rang twice . . . then was picked up.

"Okay, what is it?" The voice sighed.

"Axel! I have to tell you something that I didn't tell you before because I need your advice," Demyx clutched the phone with both hands to his ear, because it made him feel more secretive.

"Yes?"

"Okay, so I know I didn't tell you everything about everything, but I need your help, now, because I need to get out of this rehearsal without seeing my manager."

"Why?"

"Because he dumped me."

"I thought you said you BROKE. UP." Axel mocked.

"T-that's what I meant!" Demyx tried to save himself.

"But wow . . . " There was a sound that sounded like Axel stifling a laugh. "You know what I'd like to know: at what point did you say 'hey, you know what's a great idea? Dating my manager.' Especially since all your other relationships crash and _burn_."

Demyx didn't say anything, and glared at the phone.

". . . But go on. . ."Axel encouragedbrightly.

Demyx sighed, ". . .So he came to the sound check, which he never does. I'm afraid he's going to fire us or cancel our performance and put in some other band because of me."

"I wouldn't worry about it." Axel said.

"Really?" Demyx asked.

"Yeah. I'm sure your manager loves _money_ more than he hates _you_."

"You really think so?" Demyx said hopefully.

"I'm positive. He was probably just coming to wish you good luck." Axel said, sounding only half-convincing, but Demyx bought it completely.

"Gee, thanks so much. I always feel better after talking to you."

"I aim to please. Hey, how old 's your manager, anyway?" Axel asked innocently.

"Axel. . ." Demyx growled.

"Sorry. Got to go. Laundry's done." Axel hung up.

----xxxx----

Roxas had six shiny quarters. He'd gone through a lot of pain to dig them out of pants pockets and other places quarters had a habit of hiding. Six shiny quarters was just enough to do laundry. No more. No less.

Roxas let his head fall onto the top of the laundry machine in defeat, as it silently mocked him.

It had seemed like a harmless, harmless laundry machine in the basement of his new apartment building, but apparently it had an appetite for shiny quarters. And now Roxas' detergent-soaked clothes were stuck in a laundry machine that didn't work in a room full of running washers, quarter-less, while he used his forehead to caress the top of the cold metal with his self-pity.

Roxas immediately identified this as a bad omen. Something very bad was about to happen.

And then it did.

"Hey Roxas." Axel walked in to the laundry room, heading towards one of the washing machines. Roxas picked his head up conscientiously, tongue-tied. "What, the machine eat your quarters?"

It was like he KNEW. He was psychic, so he must be evil. An evil EVIL person who likes. . . . doing laundry in other people's apartment buildings? In the context of laundry, it didn't seem so evil, he supposed. But the evil was still there beyond the drier sheets. He would not be fooled!

"Axel, I'm going to ask you a question." Roxas said, teeth gritted.

Axel lifted a handful of wet laundry to transfer it to the drier, "Shoot." He said, skillfully prying the drier door with his ankle.

". . . Are you STALKING me?"

"ha! Like I would. I always do my laundry here."

"But you don't LIVE here."

"Details, details. . ." Axel added more of his clothes to the drier.

"Well, just because your apartment building doesn't have a laundry room doesn't mean that this one is fair game. I'll report you!" Roxas threatened.

"There's just one itsy-bitsy problem. . ." Axel closed in, looming over Roxas ". . . with that logic. See, I've been doing laundry here for four years and know everyone in this building. That includes your landlord. I doubt they'd have much to say about it."

". . ." Roxas looked away angrily, falling back to lean on his washing machine and crossing his arms, "Do as you please."

"Thank you. I will." Axel gave him a mock bow before turning his attention back to the drier. He inserted two coins into the slot and pressed the 'start' button. He turned to Roxas and then back, "You know, you could use my washer now." He suggested.

"I know." Roxas said, arms still crossed. Axel smirked.

"But. . . you're angry with me."

"I was waiting for you to leave." Logical enough, if it weren't that his quarters had been eaten, and he couldn't start a cycle even if he wanted to. Somehow the redhead's psychic powers picked up the distress signal.

Axel sighed, pulling up his sleeves, "Alright. Move over."

"What?"

"There's a trick to this stupid coin thing. So move over and let me HELP you."

Roxas stood his ground in front of the machine, "Why would you help me? I mean, all you've done so far it seems is try to ruin my life and. . ."

"Whoa! Hold it!" Axel poked a finger in Roxas' shoulder defensively, "Are we back to the whole gay thing? Because that was for your own good."

Roxas clenched his fists, "How the hell do you know what's good for me! Why the hell do you care!" He pushed Axel away, guarding the machine with his body.

"You're right!" Axel slammed a hand down on one of the machines, "I'm a heartless bastard and I want to ruin your life. Is that what you want to hear!"

Roxas looked shocked, "Well it's better than you seducing me by _pretending_ to be the nice guy!" He said angrily. He didn't really mean it, but the immediate effects of his words were obvious. Axel hadn't seemed to be the type who would be so easily injured that way, but the awkward silence and serious face said more than he wanted it to. Suddenly Axel had become a different person. Like a cold fire had washed over his face.

This time when Axel smiled, he was afraid.

". . . w-what?" Roxas swallowed.

"You're right. That nice guy act---" Axel smirked in angry sarcasm, "--- That wasn't me at all." He grabbed Roxas' wrist, and the blonde half expected it to feel like ice. Axel jerked him forward until they were close together.

"Y-you're joking. Right?" Roxas wanted the other Axel back. He wished that he would stop this. It was scaring him.

"Hmm. . ." Axel's eyes suddenly flowed back with warmth, "Yeah, I am." He grinned and let go.

Roxas' wrist was released, but he had become unstable all of a sudden. Stunned, in short. He stumbled back. Just . . . joking? "C-could you be any less . . . aggravating!"

"I'll be as aggravating as I need to be," Axel knelt down to unplug the washer and then plug it back in. He fiddled with it a bit.

Roxas looked down with a small voice, "I. . . didn't really mean what I said."

"What, the part about me being an unfeeling bastard, or the part about pretending to be nice so that I could get in your pants?" Axel retorted sharply as he raised himself up from fixing the plug.

"I didn't say it like that." The blonde's voice protested. He could tell he'd hit a sensitive spot.

"Yeah, well. . ." the redhead ignored him and motioned towards the washing machine, "So why don't you give it a good smack?"

". . . What?"

"The machine. That's the trick. Well, after you fix the plug, anyway." Axel shrugged, "Go ahead. Smack it."

Roxas looked at the floor, feeling terribly guilty, now.

"Don't look like that. I know you WANT to. Who _doesn't_ want to give a laundry machine a good smack? Just pretend it's me!" He encouraged, waving his hands around like a lunatic, trying to get some sort of reaction out of the younger boy. "Well!" he gave Roxas a pat on the back towards the machine.

"I'm sorry." Roxas conceded.

Axel raised his eyebrows and waited a second to register this information. "Che, forget it." In afterthought he looked up and away, smiling suddenly, "But for the record . . . I'm sorry, too."

Roxas' eyes suddenly lit up and he smiled warmly up at Axel. The redhead looked out of the corner of his eye, and jerked his head back in surprise, a blush crossing his face.

Wtf? The kid could smile? No one had told him that! Did he have any idea the affect that sweetness could have directed at a normal person! This was completely different from a Demyx smile, or anything else Axel had ever seen. Had he been any closer when he'd dropped that bomb . . . well. . . Axel wasn't sure what would've happened. Meteors could have hit the earth, pigs might've flown temporarily . . . What really scared him was that Axel didn't know how he was supposed to say NO to a smile like that. Good thing he wasn't uh. . . attracted to him? Axel thought this while sweating profusely. On the other end, he was positive Roxas was unaware of his secret weapon. Axel regained his composure, keeping a safe distance.

He cleared his throat, "Ahem. So you gonna kick the washing machine or what?" _Stop smiling. Stop smiling. Stop it, dammnit!_

"Oh. Right!" Roxas turned his normal expression over to the machine. Axel exhaled in relief as the blonde gave that thing one good thwack with the sole of his shoe.

It was silent a second, and then they heard a low hum that grew louder.

"It's working." Roxas looked surprised.

Axel snickered, "Of course it's working."

"I didn't believe you." He admitted.

"Yep. Well. Just another lesson in learning to trust your elders." Axel grinned and put a hand on Roxas' head, messing his hair up just a little bit. No one would know the difference.

"Hey!" Roxas protested, putting his hands on his head protectively as Axel pulled away.

"I'm gonna head back to my building. The drier runs awhile." The older one announced.

"Oh." The blonde didn't mean to sound disappointed, "Okay."

Axel turned around at his tone, shrugging, "You're welcome to join me. It's not like I'm doing anything while my laundry's in the drier."

"What? In your apartment?" his back prickled as Roxas suddenly remembered whom he was addressing. Had Axel asked about ten minutes ago, he would have come up with something nasty to say about that, but maybe the guy really wasn't the creep he seemed to be. . .

No. He was still evil----but a more benign evil that wouldn't really hurt him in small doses. (Secondhand smoke, for instance.)

"Sorry. I mean, I think I'll stay here."

"Wait. In the. . . laundry room." Axel looked amused.

Roxas nodded vigorously, biting his lip to urge on his sincerity in trying not to look like he wanted to. Even though he did. Saying 'yes' would be sending the wrong message.

"Right. . ." Axel left.

And Roxas stayed. There was a nice chair in the laundry room. It made him feel uneasy to leave his clothes unoccupied, at least just for the first time, so he sat and thought about their conversation, looking at his watch every couple of minutes.

10 minutes.

20 minutes.

Roxas tapped his foot nervously.

He watched as people came and left, usually taking no notice of him sitting in the corner. There was a stoic guy with blond hair on the longer side who measured out several different detergents and combined them, leaving the lid open as watched the washer fill, and taking notes like it was a science experiment. Another older man with a few piercings tried to trick the laundry machine by jerking a quarter on a string . . . and failed. Roxas decided the people in his apartment were strange.

Suddenly a familiar face peered around the edge of the doorway, and Roxas looked up from his watch.

"Axel? Why are you here? Your clothes aren't done yet."

"Oh, I know. I came here to see you, really. I really can't believe you're actually waiting in the laundry room." He grinned, striding in. "Your clothes are just about done, aren't they?"

Suddenly the rumbling to Roxas' machine stopped.

Roxas panned slowly from the machine to the grinning face. Could this guy be any more of a stalker? Okay, calm down, it's harmless stalking, right? He just came to see you. . . transfer your laundry to the drier?

"haha. So they are . . . " Roxas said nervously, getting up from his chair. He looked over his shoulder at his stalker suspiciously as he lifted the lid to take his clothes out.

He lifted a heap into the air.

"Aha!" Axel smirked.

"W-what?" Roxas stuttered, afraid as he dumped the pile into an empty drier.

"You DO wear briefs. But I see some boxers in there, too." he snickered, pulling himself up to sit on top of a moving machine. It was like a free massage! In Axel's opinion, anyone who hasn't tried it has been missing out.

"Is that what you came to see!" Roxas asked, dumbfounded as he picked up another armful of wet laundry.

". . . maybe. Oh, hey! You listen to DHMO?" Axel pointed out a logo on a shirt the blonde was carrying.

"Uh. Yeah." Roxas said, still busy transferring, "You know them?"

". . . You could say that." Axel laughed on the inside, "Hey, if you want I probably have some tickets to their concert tomorrow. I'm usually stuck with some of the extras because they want all the seats filled. Have any interest?"

Roxas nearly fell over and spilled his clean clothes, "You mean DHMO's performing here in town! And you have tickets! You're joking!"

"Actually, this time, I'm not. I could even get you an exclusive dinner with the lead singer afterwards." Axel grinned, adding, "We'll order out Chinese."

That last comment seemed to escape Roxas as he was too busy getting over the shock of the possibility of actually being able to go to one of their concerts. It was amazing! A dream come true! And to actually be able to meet Demyx . . .!

"I---- That's too much! I couldn't possibly accept such an offer without giving you something in return!" Roxas became serious.

"Eh, I wouldn't mind you buying me dinner sometime." Axel shrugged. "But you don't really owe me anything. I mean the tickets are free . . ."

"Really?" Roxas asked, becoming a puddle of joy.

"Yeah, sure. Concert's at 10 pm tomorrow. I'll give you a shout around 9:00." Axel slipped off the washing machine, feeling thoroughly massaged.

"Thank you!" The blonde spurted enthusiastically after Axel as he left the room, and it left both of them with a kind of fuzzy feeling. Roxas was feeling fuzzy because he was finally going to be able to meet his idol, and Axel because he realized in that very moment that the reason he was suddenly so happy was actually Roxas' happiness. Not because he was the one who made him happy--- just that he _was_. And that he had a pair of underwear with pink sailboats on them. That made him happy too, in a sadistic sort of way.

Axel smiled as soon as he exited the doorway. But to be truly happy for someone else's happiness----It was possibly the first time that had ever happened to him before.

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_A/N: Thanks! You're all lovely! I love reading your comments! I'll try and get the next chapter out a bit faster for you this time. I hope you'll look forward to it!_


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: a...ha...hahahaha... I finally continued.

Thanks go out to icecrisis for her encouragement, without which I'm not sure I would have continued, and also for giving me feedback on the chapter before posting. Also thanks to my sister for playing with paper dolls of Axel and Roxas and Demyx and Zexion with me this summer until I remembered the storyline.

And thanks to all of you readers, without whose support I probably wouldn't have the inspiration to write another word. Cheers to you all.

* * *

Chapter 5

Roxas was studying for finals with Namine in his apartment. It was the hottest day of the summer to date and their only saving grace was Roxas' newly-installed air conditioner, which was sputtering for attention. It's last words, roughly put, were something like 'pft fuht huwhuuuuu pf.'

But to Roxas, it spoke volumes. More like, 'Suffer, Roxas, Suffer! Your feeble will was reeled in by DHMO tickets, and are deceiving someone who seems to genuinely like you. You don't deserve my cool breezy freshness.'

This was karma at its best. It was truly something to be feared. Roxas feared this karma like he feared his mother's meatloaf. It was the beginning of the end. The sky is falling. Hell was freezing! Pigs were flying!

Roxas' head thumped as it landed on the desk and Namine didn't seem to notice.

". . .So then you see the Keq is equal to the change in G knot constant of-- Roxas are you listening?" Namine stopped drawing.

"No." Roxas mumbled, his sweaty forehead plastered to the cool wood surface. "But keep going."

"Okay, that's it." Namine put down her pencil angrily and staring at Roxas' collapsed head, "We're going to talk now, and you're going to tell me why you've been acting like you've just lost your best friend. You have finals next week, and I'm not over here for my health."

Roxas lifted his head up halfheartedly, tilting it slightly as he looked away at the wall. "Well there might be something . . ."

Yes. SOMETHING.

Main _something_ being his play-date with Axel. . . which as far as he knew, involved very little play, and SO MUCH GAY. Because despite all the glaring evidence that suggested otherwise, Roxas was still convinced he was straight. Not that he had a big problem deceiving Axel for one night in order to see DHMO, but a date turns into holding hands which turns into kissing which turns into, well. . . Whatever you did after kissing. What were the bases again? Wait. Wasn't there a sort of reflexive property to dating? Like. . . your date buys you ice cream, you give them a lap dance? Something like that.

"Axel?"

"Huh?" Roxas snapped out of his trance, turning his attention to Namine. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess." Namine smiled ever-so-sweetly. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Roxas knew she wasn't going to leave him alone until she knew the whole story. He sighed heavily.

"He has DHMO tickets for tonight, and invited me to go." he almost whined, burying his head in his hands for support, "I couldn't say no."

"That's great!" Namine replied impulsively, clasping her hands together happily.

Roxas glared.

"I mean, that's. . . awful. Right. I forgot. I hate going to concerts of my favorite band, too. . .?"

"You don't understand!" Roxas blushed thinking about Axel, "He's arrogant, perverted, twisted, I think he's NOCTURNAL, and his hair is. . . is. . ." He made strange movements above his head trying to illustrate, finally giving up to Namine's blank expression. He sighed heavily, mumbling under his breath, "Plus he's a _guy_."

She ignored that last comment, "He sleeps all day?"

Roxas shrugged, "I don't know. He's just always sleeping when I look out the window."

"Right. Because his room is right across from here," Namine tried to peer out of Roxas' window, but couldn't see anything but brick from her angle, "Well, he could just be lazy, but have you ever asked? He could go to night school. You sound like you're judging him without _knowing_ anything_ about_ him."

"I can just tell this stuff, OKAY?" Roxas decided there was nothing else to say. He just didn't like him. That was that. He liked Namine. He liked the way she looked and the way she laughed and . . .

Roxas frowned, unable to continue his list, and Namine shook her head.

"Normally I'd tell you to trust your instincts, but you're not being fair to yourself. Why not just go and see what happens? He might just surprise you." Namine suggested.

Roxas' voice took on a sarcastic tone, ". . . Yeah, and rape me or something."

Namine looked alarmed, "Roxas. Don't even joke about that . . ."

"I'm not ignoring the possibility."

"Roxas. . ."

"Well, would you trust a guy who times your laundry just to find out what kind of underwear you're washing?"

". . ."

"Exactly."

* * *

"No, thanks. You've gotta do better than _that_ to impress _me_." The redhead answered phone pressed between his cheek and shoulder as he ran over a pair of pants with a hot iron in the living room. Contrary to many bachelors, he actually owned an ironing board. He wouldn't have owned one except for that one time Axel found Demyx ironing on a couch arm. (Unlike most of the scorch marks on his furniture, that one was NOT his fault.)

Anyway, ironing mishaps aside, these pants were going to knock his hot date on his hot ass tonight.

Yep. So to get this uh . . . ass-knocking started off, Axel was ironing pants while wearing his underwear-- Not because he ran out of clean pants of course--Because he thought this was incredibly sexy and hoped Roxas was looking out his window. If it were possible, that's how Axel would have preferred to start all his relationships—in his underwear, holding a hot iron. _Oh, the possibilities_. Axel smirked, placing the iron upright and snapped the pants up in front of him for a better look.

It occurred to Axel that he would be so much sexier right now if he weren't talking to a telemarketer. Even if the telemarketer did have a deep, alluring voice and was trying to sell him dirty magazines-- which he did--and he was.

"Yeah, no thanks." Axel laid down the pants on top of the ironing board and switched hands, "Yeah, but I'm telling you, I didn't order anything from you people."

Axel folded his other arm on the ironing board, "Yeah, I think you have the wrong number, sorry." The off button was pressed before the clerk had time to make an argument.

"Telemarketers . . ." Axel spat, picking up his iron again and rolling back his sleeves. Demyx really had to stop ordering strange magazines in his name. I mean, maybe Demyx was technically allowed to order stuff to the address since he was paying half the rent now, but it was still Axel's apartment. He had to be allowed _some_ privacy. Telemarketing calls from 'Boy's Erotica' magazine weren't really something he wanted Larxene to see on their phone-line history.

"Well, here we go. . ." Axel hung his secret weapon on a hanger and took a step back.

Yes. Straightened and pressed to skin-tight perfection.

If he didn't make an impression on Roxas in these pants, Axel would take back everything he said about Roxas being gay. Even STRAIGHT guys checked him out when he wore these babies.

Needless to say, he wasn't going to take any chances on this date. He hadn't fallen this hard for anyone since he and Demyx were together, and that was a long time ago.

"Okay, Axel" his eyes closed for a second as he took a deep breath. "Don't screw this up. You're going to be fine."

He opened his eyes, calmed down, and turned towards the kitchenette. Demyx left him a note with the tickets on the counter.

'Here are the tickets you asked for.

This is your first date in awhile isn't it?

I mean, it IS a date, isn't it? You'll do great!

I hope you'll introduce me. Cheers! –Dem'

Axel shook his head at the note. Six years of knowing the guy, and Demyx's notes still sounded like his mom wrote them or something.

The redhead let the note down and put some hot water on the stove for his afternoon coffee. Yes, it was 100-degree-weather, yes he had just used an iron, and now he was boiling water.

Oh, but Axel was just. warming. up.

* * *

After four hours of studying, Namine had gone home to dinner. And now Roxas was alone-- half studying, half wondering why he was still studying.

The heat index was finally cooling down as the sun descended its place in the sky. Still, the words on the page of Roxas' textbook were growing gradually smaller and more difficult to read. And the smaller they got, the more it dawned on Roxas that he was probably going to fail his biology exam.

He wondered how much time he had left to study before--

An obnoxious rapping sounded suddenly from the door. Not just two, not just three, it was more like five or six in a rabid succession.

"Roxaaaaaaaaaaas" a sing-song voice muffled through the door. He sounded a bit too happy, the blonde thought as he rose reluctantly from his chair. Regardless of the mouth it comes out of, that tone of voice can't mean anything good. If Axel was having bad thoughts, Roxas was going to kick him. If he denied it, he was lying and deserved to be kicked harder.

"I'm not ready yet" Roxas told the door.

"That's okay. Can I come in?" Axel asked reasonably.

"I'll think about it."

Axel raised his eyebrows outside the door. Were they flirting now? Awesome! He smiled, happily fingering the flower he held carefully in hand.

"You know, I don't mind waiting while you powder your nose or whatever." He chuckled.

"Axel!" Roxas said threateningly as he flung open the door, thereupon dropping his jaw in a reaction of shock and surprise that turned his face red at the carnation Axel was holding.

Now, if Roxas wasn't completely gay before he opened the door, the migration of his eyes to Axel's tight-fitting pants should have closed any onlooker's margin of doubt. Axel smirked as he lifted up the red carnation.

"May my pants and I come in?"

"Uh." Roxas said in a small voice as he tore his eyes to the side, "Don't get the wrong idea. . ."

That was invitation enough. Axel took a step in, spinning the carnation in his fingers and offering it up again, "Don't you like flowers?"

It was uncomfortably silent.

Axel waved the stem around from side to side in hope of approval, as Roxas followed its movements with his eyes. "Yeah, I thought it was a little cheesy at first, but you looked like the romantic type."

"I don't want your _flower_." Roxas snatched it up stuck it on the counter, guiding Axel's body back out into the hallway. Quickly exiting himself, Roxas locked the door, turning the handle afterwards to check. He looked backwards quickly to make sure Axel was still there, half expecting him to be gone.

"What, do I have something on my face?" Axel pointed to his cheek— _cutely_, if that was possible.

It was cute. Roxas felt the blood rush to his head, "No, nothing like that. Let's just go."

They started off down the hallway and out to the street. Roxas had learned from previous experiences to walk at Axel's side. It was awkward if he was following, and uncomfortable when leading. Strangely, Roxas lost track of the street signs and stoplights fairly quickly, focusing on the flicker of red out of the corner of his eye.

Axel knew he was leading the way when Roxas failed to notice that they passed the bus stop. Although he was aware at all times of Roxas' general presence, it was easy to lose him somewhere in the crowd. This was mostly because short people tended to escape Axel's field of vision unless he was actively looking for them.

Then and there, Axel decided he wasn't going to lose track of him anymore, so just as the light to cross the street turned green, Axel hooked his arm around Roxas'. The blonde froze, instinctively motioning to take his arm back. However, Axel urged him to continue walking as he bent his head down to explain in a deep, secret voice.

". . . So we don't get separated. You keep slipping away from me."

Roxas looked up helplessly, trying to get a feel for the ulterior motives behind this intimate gesture as they walked. But as they continued, Axel did not attempt to hold his hand or pull their bodies closer together. Roxas wouldn't have admitted this, but the sensation of being attached to someone gave him a strange sense of security. In the body that now synchronized gracefully with his, Roxas felt the sureness of Axel's actions. As if climbing onto a roller coaster, he was hit with a strange type of thrill ride of emotions that he didn't know quite where to place.

Just Roxas felt himself being lifted higher, the tension rising, his arm was dropped from that sure grip.

"Well this is the place! Shall we?" Axel grinned, looking back happily. Noticing a lost sort of look on Roxas' face he raised his eyebrows, "Something wrong?"

"Nothing." The blonde shook his head, "Let's go." He was just suddenly lonely, and confused as to why.

As they stood in line, Roxas looked fleetingly at Axel's arm, hanging limp beside him.

Roxas understood that to hold someone's arm for no reason would be a declaration of fondness, but he wanted it to reach out and wrap itself around his waist. His skin burned at the thought of it. Axel noticed this...sort of.

"Hey, you're a little pink." He waved around the general area of his face quite sincerely, "Sunburn?"

"N-no!" Roxas answered, a little to sharply, perhaps, because Axel's stunned expression curled into amusement.

"Embarrassed?"

"NO!" was the definitive answer. Axel knew he'd been right.

It was at this point that they arrived at the checkpoint to the entrance to the concert. Axel flashed their tickets, but the tall bald black man with sunglasses cleared his throat at Roxas, pointing, "ID."

Was that a question?

"The kid needs ID." The bald man repeated at their confusion.

"The kid's under my care," Axel said firmly, grabbing Roxas around the waist and pulling him close. Roxas almost forgot he was angry. The guard must have noticed the change in his countenance because he chuckled lightly.

"If you're not his legal guardian, he still needs ID."

Axel released his hold on Roxas with a sigh, shrugging expressively, "Listen, I've got connections. If you don't let us by, things could get ugly."

"Ugly . . .?"

The following argument faded into the background as Roxas fished inside his pockets for anything he could find. He knew he wasn't 21, but he had to produce _something_. Then, hitting a piece of plastic, his eyes widened.

Presenting the card forward with some hesitance, the guard and Axel turned their heads. The guard narrowed his eyes somewhat, but accepted the card in stern apprehension.

Looking Roxas up and down in comparison to the picture on the card, he clicked his tongue. "You don't look 22, son, but the shoe fits, alright, in you go . . ." He gave the card back.

Roxas smiled happily, while Axel gawked incredulously as they both entered the club where the concert was being held. When the dramatic effect of his expression wore off, Axel reached his hand out greedily.

"Hey, let me see that!" Axel snatched the card right out of Roxas' hands, and examined the object. "Geez, you know this guy? Cloud Strife? Who the hell is he, and why do you have his . . .driver's license?"

Roxas flushed nervously, "I feel bad, but I found it at school, and just never had the chance to give it back." He took it away and tucked it back away it as they walked in, smiling slightly.

To add to Roxas' happiness, Axel patted him firmly on the back, laughing. This tugged a smile from Roxas' unusually pink lips. He could feel the blood rushing to his face, and it was warm. He stole a glace at Axel, whose cheeks also were rosy in the wake of his laughter. A strange sensation then fell to the pit of Roxas' stomach. In that second, he almost forgot he was about to see DHMO live in concert, and just wanted to see Axel smiling like that forever.

* * *

On a couch somewhere in depths of a run-down apartment building, reruns of Grey's Anatomy glossed the TV screen as Cloud Strife, former ice-cream man, cried himself to sleep.

* * *

The concert, and DHMO, and everything about that night under the blazing stage lights was everything Roxas had dreamed for. The image of Demyx's eyes—like round, florescent orbs—shone into Roxas' skull. The beat pounded his brain, the song shot through his spine, penetrated his very being.

Axel coughed several times, trying to get Roxas' attention, but with little success. Seeing Roxas' face light up like a lantern, Axel felt like an ornament on a demented Christmas tree. Demyx was sparkling up there on the stage, and Roxas was loving it in a way that Axel felt he would never be loved. It was aggravating that a couple of lights and stereo speakers could succeed where he couldn't.

Roxas was completely gone.

Axel made several attempts to capture his attention during lulls in the music, but with little success. Even after filing out of the concert hall following two lengthy encores, Roxas continued to gush like a juicy fruit gummy.

"I mean, did you SEE that?" The blonde clenched his fists in an expression of passion, shaking his head incredulously, "I can't believe we're going to actually see the lead singer! Do you really know him personally? He's so cool!"

Hands in his pockets, Axel smiled slightly at the kind of blind idolism that sparked such comments, "Demyx is _quite_ the character."

"So you've known him for a long time?" the question came flying like a speeding bullet.

Axel scratched his head, calculating the correct answer to this question. It would be bad to let too much about their past slip. Bringing up past relationships wasn't really the best way to start off new ones. "You could say that. I mean, we're close acquaintances and—"

"—AXEEL!" The blonde musician interrupted loudly, barreling down the hallway. Demyx's smiling face shone as he pounced unassumingly on the redhead, flinging his arms around his neck.

Axel nearly toppled over, flailing, "Christ, get off you freak!"

"You haven't come to one of my concerts in years." A thoroughly pleased Demyx let go briskly, giggling. "I couldn't help myself."

Axel sighed sharply, resigning his hands to his hips. He'd mentioned this before, but it was hard to stay angry with Demyx for long.

"So lover boy's cute? How'd he like the concert? Does he want my autograph?" Demyx produced a copy he'd prepared in advance.

Axel, who had never let his attention wander from the true purpose of this meeting, pointed down next to him. Roxas smiled shyly.

"Whoa!. . ." Demyx jumped back at the realization he'd been there all along. "You're already here!"

With rosy cheeks and pounding heart, Roxas laughed nervously, looking at his feet. Roxas' display of cuteness was almost too much for Axel to handle. He turned his attention to Demyx instead.

"So you're my big fan." Demyx knelt down as if talking to a child and handed the autographed picture to Roxas, "Here you go. Thanks to your friend, here, you know. He and I go waaay back."

"Well, not that far back. . ."

"What do you mean?" Demyx laughed at Axel, standing up with an explanatory hand gesture. "You were there when I recorded my first single!"

Roxas brightened, "You mean 'Kaleidoscope'? 1999?"

"Yeah, yeah! Hey, Axel, this kid's good. Maybe we should all hang out sometime."

"I'd love that!" Roxas said enthusiastically.

Axel shook his head several times, making it clear he didn't like that idea.

"Well, even if we don't hang out, we live just next door. So hopefully I'll be seeing a lot of short stuff in the near future," Demyx winked at Roxas.

Now it was Roxas' turn to be confused, "Next door?"

"Yeah I practically live with—"

"—With the delusion that we are living together." Axel corrected quickly. "We are not in fact living _together_. Demyx is crashing at my place temporarily."

A little red light had gone off in Axel's head as he watched the wheels in Roxas' head turn. There was no way he and Demyx were still together, and he wasn't going to let that assumption endanger his future relationship with Roxas.

"No way! You two must be really close, then." The short blonde said innocently.

"Yeah. He's a great guy, you'll see. You're so much better for him. I mean, not that I would know but—" Demyx caught himself before continuing. Maybe Axel didn't want short stack to know about their past relationship, but he'd just basically confirmed it. This did not bode well.

"I uh—" the musician peered slowly at Axel, who was ready to bite his head off, "I think he's letting me stay there out of the goodness of his heart, which is very very large and uh—forgiving?" He smiled cautiously.

One look told him Axel's glare did not accept brownie points.

"Uh—" Demyx looked at Roxas quickly, pointing a finger to his side, "Nice to meet you. I gottagostagecrewneedsme." He was gone in a flash.

* * *

Because Roxas wanted ice cream, they stopped by the convenience store on the way home. They had a choice between yellow, orange, and red radioactively colored ice pops. Of course, there was always the option of regular vanilla or chocolate, but Roxas' taste buds were more accustomed to the flavor of chemicals.

After making his purchase, Roxas suggested they take the scenic route home—a stroll through an empty park.

It was eerily quiet, with only the squeaking sound of licking to keep them company amongst the dimly lit trees. They sat down next to each other on one of many empty benches. It was about this time Roxas expected Axel to say something inappropriate, but he was strangely silent.

"You know. . ." The redhead's deep voice shot out after a moment.

Roxas' eyes blinked curiously, still concentrated on his sweets.

". . .this is a good time to talk. You've barely said anything to me all night."

Roxas staggered a sigh, "I know." It wasn't really his fault. It was hard to admit that he was wrong, and even harder to admit that Axel had done him a favor. He bit the last bit of his popsicle off the stick, squinting in the darkness to see the answer to his popsicle stick joke. 'What do fish say when they hit a concrete wall?'. . .

The redhead continued, "You know, it was fun hanging-out with you tonight."

". . . Damn."

"Huh?" Axel froze.

"Dam." Roxas held up his popsicle stick, flashing a weak smile out of nowhere. ". . . What fish say when they hit a concrete wall."

It took a few seconds for this to register.

Finally Axel breathed out a chuckle, laughing brightly despite himself. He had to enhale deeply to steady his breath. "T-That's ridiculous."

Roxas smiled sadly at Axel's reaction.

Maybe Axel wasn't so bad after all. And he was kind of attractive. He hadn't even thought about Namine all night, much less his finals. Partly it was because of DHMO, but more than anything, the thought of that long arm wrapped around his burned into Roxas' skin, haunting him. Even now that the pressure wasn't there, it remained like the shadow of an absentminded thought. He couldn't let that thought go, and it was unlike any other touch he had experienced—more than the kiss, because he had been open and aware.

"Axel?"

The sincerity of Roxas' tone gathered his full attention.

". . . You're not a bad guy."

Axel looked puzzled, but let Roxas continue.

"I mean—I knew that you weren't really awful, but I misjudged you, and I'm sorry. I should be thanking you." Roxas fidgeted with his popsicle stick even more, as if he could drag the words out of the thing. He was having trouble, Axel could tell.

"No one should thank me for anything." Axel said softly, but sincerely, "I just mess things up, usually."

"No." Roxas shook his head sadly, "I need to thank you."

Axel looked on with concern. If Roxas was thanking him, it couldn't be good.

"You see, I think I do have feelings for you. You're not a bad guy. And you helped me realize something. But now I don't know what to do." Roxas said quietly.

"What do you mean . . . "

"Being gay. . ." Roxas looked up, pleading. "I think I'm gay."

Axel smiled sadly. So he'd finally come to terms with it.

Axel's first thought was the kid's overwhelming vulnerability. Usually Roxas was so defensive with him, plowing over his problems and stomping them into the ground. But now he now seemed truly lost. Now, Axel felt he had to be something more than a date—something like a good friend. That was the best thing he could do.

So Axel crossed his arms coolly. "Hey, I knew that from the start, didn't I tell you? Just be you. Nothing has changed."

Roxas wondered if that was true. What would Namine think? How would he face his friends?

"You don't have to tell everyone. I didn't at first" Axel rearranged himself so he was sitting slightly farther away, taking the pressure off the intimate situation. This helped Roxas relax, although Axel's words weren't exactly reassuring.

"Axel . . . I'm not ready to date anyone. I barely know what I'm doing." Roxas admitted, holding his head. He didn't want any of this right now. He just needed some time to think.

"Hey, you look exhausted. We'll call it a night, and I'll call you tomorrow." Axel stood up.

"But no more dates." Roxas' eyes were insistent, but tired.

"No more dates." For now. Axel reassured him, nodding half-heartedly as he offered his hand to help Roxas up.

They were halfway there when Roxas hesitated. "You promise?" He looked up at his former assailant suspiciously, still holding his warm hand.

Axel smirked, pulling him up all the way in one smooth movement.

"I don't like to make promises." He said hopefully, securing his arm around Roxas' tired shoulders and motioning towards the park exit. "Now, let's get you home."

* * *

A/N: Whooooohoooooooo! I got past the hard part, but by the skin of my teeth. Geez, it took me, what, two years to finish this? I officially suck. But I do plan to continue at regular intervals from now on, so reviews would be not only helpful, but also inspirational.

This should go on for awhile if all proceeds as planned...so I hope there are still some people out there coming back to this story. I'm counting on you guys.

I love you all! Thanks for your support in helping me finish what I started!!


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